Mobile suction cleaning device

ABSTRACT

A SUCTION CLEANING DEVICE ADAPTED TO BE MOVED IN A FORWARD DIRECTION OVER A SURFACE TO REMOVE DEBRIS AND OTHER MATERIAL THEREFROM, INCLUDING A DEBRIS HOPPER, A SUCTION DUCT LEADING TO THE HOPPER, FAN MEANS TO DRAW AIR THROUGH THE DUCT, AND AN IMPROVED PICK-UP CHAMBER INTO WHICH THE DUCT EXTENDS REMOVED FROM THE HOPPER ADJACENT TO THE SURFACE TO BE CLEANED. THE IMPROVED PICK-UP CHAMBER IS COMPRISED OF AT LEAST ONE SUCTION NOZZLE INLET OPENING POSITIONED WITHIN THE PICK-UP CHAMBER AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE SUCTION DUCT, AND AIR JET MEANS HAVING A PLURALITY OF AIR OUTLET OPENINGS ARRANGED IN THE CHAMBER FORWARD OF AND ON OPPOSITE SIDEF OF THE SUCTION NOZZLE INLET OPENINGS, THE AIR JET MEANS POSSESSING HIGH IMPACT CHARACTERISTICS TO LOOSEN THE MATERIAL FROM THE SURFACE AND DIRECT IT TOWARD THE PATH OF MOVEMENT TRAVERSED BY THE SUCTION NOZZLE INLET OPENINGS.

Sept. 20, 1971 5;..1. HANK ETAL 3,605,170

MOBILE SUCTION CLEANING DEVICE Filed March 11, 1969' EMIL JFWIE BY HENRYD. LUTHER ATTOR N E YS.

United States Patent 01 hoe 3,605,170 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 3,605,170MOBILE SUCTION CLEANING DEVICE Emil J. Hank, Minerva, and Henry D.Luther, Massillon, Ohio, assignors to Gulf Western Industrial ProductsCompany, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Filed Mar. 11, 1969, Ser. No. 806,202 Int. Cl. E01h 1/08 US. Cl. 15--346Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A suction cleaning device adapted tobe moved in a forward direction over a surface to remove debris andother material therefrom, including a debris hopper, a suction ductleading to the hopper, fan means to draw air through the duct, and animproved pick-up chamber into which the duct extends removed from thehopper adjacent to the surface to be cleaned. The improved pick-upchamber is comprised of at least one suction nozzle inlet openingpositioned within the pick-up chamber and in communication with thesuction duct, and air jet means having a plurality of air outletopenings arranged in the chamber forward of and on opposite sides of thesuction nozzle inlet openings, the air jet means possessing high impactcharacteristics to loosen the material from the surface and direct ittoward the path of movement traversed by the suction nozzle inletopenings.

This invention pertains to the art of suction cleaning apparatus, andmore particularly to improvements in the debris pick-up means for suchapparatus.

The invention is particularly applicable to large mobile suctioncleaning devices adapted to be moved over a surface such as a roadway orairfield runway for removing debris, and will be described withparticular reference thereto; although, it should be appreciated thatthe invention is capable of broader application and may be used whereverit is desired to remove debris or other material from a surface by meansof suction.

A commonly used type of mobile suction cleaning device comprises adebris hopper in which debris is collected, a suction duct leading tothe hopper, a centrifugal fan to draw air through the duct, a pick-upchamber into which the duct extends, and a suction nozzle mounted in thepick-up chamber connected to the duct.

As the pick-up chamber passes over a surface to be cleaned, the vacuumcreated at the suction nozzle removes loose debris which is transmittedby means of the suction duct to the debris hopper.

In an attempt to improve the cleaning efficiency of such devices,various means have been employed by prior art apparatus to direct theflow of debris under the pick-up chamber into the suction nozzle. Onesuch method of debris direction calls for recirculation of fan exhaustair back to the pick-up chamber, blowing it perpendicularly at theroadway so as to loosen debris from the roadway. A second method callsfor the utilization of rubber scrapers which are in contact with theroadway and which scrape relatively large items of debris towards thesuction nozzle inlet opening.

Debris direction means thus far developed have encountered numerousproblems. Where recirculated air has been employed, its use has beeninefficient, more frequently than not simply stirring up and dispersingthe debris, particularly lighter particles, away from rather thantowards the suction nozzle inlet opening. Recirculation of air alsoproduces a back pressure on the vacuum side of the system which reducesfan efiiciency and cleaning capabilities of the device. The use ofrubber scrapers has also proved unsuccessful because of extensive wearof the scrapers resulting from surface contact, requiring constantmaintenance. Furthermore, as the rubber scrapers wear down their abilityto direct debris into the suction nozzle decreases rapidly.

The present invention contemplates a new and improved suction cleaningapparatus which overcomes all of the above referred to problems andothers; and provides an improved means for debris pick-up which issimple, economical and in particular, which increases the cleaningefiiciency of such apparatus.

In accordance with the present invention, a suction cleaning device ofthe general type described is provided, wherein the pick-up chambercomprises suction nozzle inlet openings in communication with thesuction duct, and air jet means in front of and on opposite sides of thenozzle openings arranged to impart a force component on the debrissubstantially transverse to the longitudinal movement of the cleaningdevice, thereby directing the debris towards the path of movementtraversed by the suction nozzle inlet openings.

Preferably, the air jet means have a V-shaped configuration and convergeonto the suction nozzle inlet openings so as to concentrate and directthe debris from a fairly wide area into the openings.

In accordance with a more limited aspect of the invention, stationarysurface contacting brushes are positioned behind, adjacent to andsubstantially parallel and coextensive with the air jet means, and incontact with the surface to be cleaned, thereby dislodging debris whichis stuck to the surface. Behind the brushes, laterally coextensive withthe width dimension in the pick-up chamber encompassed by the brushesare additional suction noz- Zle inlet openings on opposite sides of thefirst-mentioned nozzle openings. The brushes serve two functions. Largeitems of debris are directed towards the first-mentioned suction nozzleinlet openings, and smaller items of debris are simply dislodged orfreed from the surface being cleared for pick-up by the additionalnozzle openings.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a rotary brush iscontained in the pick-up chamber behind the suction nozzle inletopenings in contact with the surface to be cleaned. The brush has adirection of rotation opposite to the direction of movement of thecleaning device so as to direct remaining fine particle debris forwardlytowards the suction nozzle inlet openings. As will be seen, the improveddebris direction means of the present invention greatly increases thecleaning efficiency of mobile suction cleaning devices. Furthermore,high maintenance costs of prior art devices are overcome, therebyproviding an inexpensive means of debris direction and pick-up.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is to providean improved debris directing and pick-up means for mobile suctioncleaning devices, which increases the cleaning efficiency of suchdevices.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide an improveddebris directing and pick-up means for suction cleaning devices whichagitates the debris into a state of suspension at the suction nozzleinlet openings of the devices.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a debris directingmeans which is economical to manufacture and requires a minimum ofmaintenance.

The invention and other objects and advantages thereof will becomeapparent from the following description used to illustrate the preferredembodiment of the invention when read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view, partly broken away and in section,illustrating a mobile suction cleaning device in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view taken along 22 of FIG. 1 showing in detail thebottom side of a debris pick-up chamber in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 shows diagrammaticall the operation of the pick-up chamber ofFIG. 2 in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-section elevation view taken along line 44of FIG. 2, further showing the operation of the pick-up chamber of FIG.2 in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purposeof illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention only,and not for the purpose of limiting the same, FIG. 1 shows the overallarrangement of a mobile suction cleaning vehicle A, adapted to travel ina predetermined forward or rearward direction, having a conventionaldrivers cab B at the forward end of the vehicle, a fan means C behindthe cab, a debris hopper D at the rear of the vehicle, and a pick-upchamber E on the underside of the vehicle.

Referring in greater detail to FIG. 1, the vehicle A is supported on theroadway surface (which is to be cleaned) by conventional front and rearwheels l2, 14, respectively. The fan means C and hopper D are fullyenclosed by a body 16 secured to the vehicle chassis 18, the body beingpivotally mounted about an axis 20. The removal of collected debris fromhopper D is accomplished through a dumping door 22 located at therearward part of the body 16 by tipping the body upwardly and rearwardlyabout the pivot axis 20. The hopper D is an enclosed chamber which hasan inlet 28 through which collected debris enters the hopper, and anoutlet 30 through which air passes. Movement of air into and through thehopper is generated by the fan means C, which is in communication withthe hopper outlet through a fan duct 32. At the hopper outlet 30 is anair filter screen 34 which prevents debris collected in the hopper frombeing drawn into the fan means, possibl damaging the latter. The filteralso prevents the collected debris from being dispersed to theatmosphere through passage 35 connected to the outlet side of the fanmeans.

A pick-up chamber E, to be described in more detail, is suspended fromthe underside of the vehicle A between the front wheels 12 and the rearwheels 14. The pick-up chamber E is generally rectangular in shape, itstransverse axis being greater than its longtiudinal axis (relative tothe direction of movement of the vehicle) and substantially equal to thewidth of the vehicle A. The pickup chamber E is connected to the hopperinlet 28 by means of a suction duct 36 leading to the hopper inlet 28which enables collected debris to be transmitted from the pickup chamberto the hopper D.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the pick-up chamber E is suspended belowthe vehicle A by means of forward and rearward suspending links 38, 40,respectively, said links being pivotally connected to both the chassis18 and the chamber, permitting the chamber to be raised from its loweroperating opposition to an upper storage position when not in use.Although any conventional mechanism may be employed to raise or lowerthe chamber E, for purposes of illustration a hydraulic system 42 hasbeen shown. The hydraulic system 42 comprises, a cylinder mountingbracket 44 which is affixed to the chassis 18, a rear suspending linkbracket 46 which is slidably connected to the chassis, and a hydrauliccylinder 48 disposed between said brackets. To raise the pick-up chamberE from its lower operating position to its upper storage position thehydraulic cylinder 48 is actuated to expand rearwardly. This causes theslidably connected rear suspending link bracket 46 to move rearwardly,there by pivoting the links 38, (the latter connected to bracket 46)rearwardly, raising the chamber by means of the links.

The chamber E comprises a top cover plate 54 which is carried by aforward chamber wheel 56 and rearward 4 chamber wheels 58, the wheelsbeing in contact with the roadway surface 10 when the chamber is in thelower operating position. Passing through the top rearward portion ofthe cover plate 54 is a suction nozzle 60, the upper end of which isconnected to the suction duct 36, and the lower end of which terminates(as shown in FIG. 2) in a plurality of laterally spaced apart inletopenings 62, 64 having two basic configurations. A pair of laterallyspaced-apart openings 62 are generally square in shape, although theopenings may be of any suitable configuration, and encompassed onopposite sides by the three narrow or elongated openings 64. Both thesquare inlet openings 62 and the narrow elongated inlet openings 64 mayvary in shape; however, the square openings are provided with arelatively wide mouth and exceed the narrow openings in the longitudinaldimension (with respect to direction of travel), whereas to narrowopenings substantially span the width of the chamber E in the spaces notoccupied by openings 62. It should also be noted that the narrowelongated openings 64 have their rearward side transversely aligned withthe rearward side of the square inlet openings 62, the openings togetherextending substantially continuously in a transverse direction from oneside to the other across the rearward portion of the chamber E.

Disposed forward of and on each side of the wide mouth suction nozzleinlet openings 62 at an acute angle to the forward and rearward line ofmovement of the vehicle A during the cleaning operation are air jetmeans 66 suspended below the coverplate 54 in the chamber E by means ofa rear hanging bracket 68 and a forward hanging bracket 70 (FIG. 4).Each air jet means 66 has an inner face which is directed towards theforward and rearward lines of movement defined by the openings 62 and anopposed outer face.

Referring now to FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3 and 4, the air jet means 66 will bedescribed in greater detail. Located on the inner face of each air jetmeans 66 is a series of air jet outlet openings 76 from which aplurality of air jets 78 are directed both inwardly towards thelongitudinal axis of movement of vehicle A and downwardly towards theroad surface 10, which is being cleaned. The air jets 78 are so directedas to impart horizontal force components x on debris 86 (which is lyingon the road way surface 10), the force components being substantiallytransverse to the longitudinal axis of movement of the vehicle A. Asbest shown of FIG. 3, the opposed horizontal force components x of theair jets 78 on opposite sides of each wide mouth inlet opening 62 tendto position and concentrate the bulk of the debris 80 in the path of theopenings thereby facilitating pick-up by the suction nozzle 60 andincreasing cleaning efiiciency. The efficiency of pick-up is enhancedsince the air jets 78 tend to agitate the debris 80 into a state ofsuspension at the openings 62.

Positioned adjacent to and substantially parallel and coextensive withthe air jet means 66, but adjacent to the opposed outer faces, oppositethe faces containing the air jet outlet openings 76, are stationarybrushes 82. These brushes are in contact with the roadway surface 10,and increase the cleaning efliciency of the apparatus by dislodging thatdebris which adhered to the roadway and which was not positioned and putinto suspension by the air jet means 66. The brushes may direct thedebris towards the wide mouth openings 62, but also serve the importantfunction of dislodging the debris for pick-up by the narrow or elongatedinlet openings 64 which are to the rear of the brushes coextensive withthe lateral dimension spanned by the brushes.

To the rear of the suction nozzle inlet openings, 62 and 64, andsubstantially coextensive therewith, is a rotary brush 84 which isadapted to be in contact with the roadway surface 10. The rotary brush84 may be driven by any conventional mechanism and rotates in a reversedirection to direct fine particle debris forwardly towards the suctionnozzle inlet openings. The rotary brush 84 dislodges still remainingdebris which has been traversed by the suction nozzle inlet openings 62,64, without being picked up, and positions the debris at the nozzleinlet openings thereby further increasing the pickup characteristics andcleaning efficiency of chamber E.

The air supply for the air jet means 66 may be provided either by meansof an auxiliary air compressor 86 which is carried in the vehicle A orby recirculating the exhaust air from the fan means C. In the preferredembodiment an auxiliary air compressor 86 is illustrated, sincerecirculation of exhaust air induces a back pressure on the fan means C,which reduces the system overall eificiency. The air compressor 86 isconnected to the air jet means 66 by air lines 88.

Still referring to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the operation of the mobilesuction cleaning vehicle A will now be described. The fan means C, ofthe centrifugal type, disposed at the forward end of the vehicle A hasits rearward, low pressure side, conductively coupled to the debrishopper D. The operation of the fan means C produces a partial vacuum atthe suction nozzle 60, causing air flow into the nozzle through thelarge suction nozzle inlet openings 62 and the narrow elongated suctionnozzle inlet openings 64. The incoming air then passes upward throughthe suction duct 36 to the debris hopper D, thence through the airfilter screen 34 and fan duct 32 to the fan means C. The partial vacuumcreated at the suction nozzle 60 tends to draw the debris 80, which hasbeen properly positioned and agitated into a state of suspension by theair jet means 66, upward from the roadway surface through the suctionnozzle inlet open ings 62, 64, and deposit it in the debris hopper D. Onthe high pressure side of the fan means C the discharge air is releasedinto the surrounding atmosphere.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a preferredembodiment in detail sufiicient to enable one skilled in the art toduplicate the invention, variations and embodiments within the scope ofthe following claims will be apparent to others upon a reading andunderstanding of this specification.

Having thus defined our invention, we claim:

1. In a suction cleaning device adapted to 'be moved in a forwarddirection over a surface to remove loose debris therefrom, including adebris hopper, a suction duct leading to said hopper, a fan to draw airthrough said duct, and a pickup chamber into which said duct extendsremote from said hopper and positioned adjacent said surface, theimprovement comprising:

a plurality of suction nozzle inlet openings extending transverselyacross said pickup chamber defining at "least one wide-mouth opening andnarrower elongated side openings on each side of said wide-mouth openingand spaced therefrom;

air jet means for establishing air jet streams disposed forward of andon each side of said wide-mouth opening at an acute angle to saidforward direction;

said air jet means including a plurality of air outlet openings directedboth inwardly toward said longitudinal axis and downwardly toward saidsurface;

means for supplying pressurized air into said chamber through said airjet means whereby an air jet stream component is directed against saiddebris substantially transverse to said axis of movement to therebyagitate said debris into a state of suspension to facilitate debris flowinto said widemouth opening.

2. The device of claim 1 further including brush means for dislodgingdebris positioned adjacent to and substantially parallel and coextensivewith said air jet means between said air jet means and said narrowerelongated side openings and adapted to contact said surface.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said air jet means defines a V-shapedconfiguration converging towards said wide-mouth opening, said narrowerelongated side openings being substantially coextensive with the lateraldimension spanned by said air jet means.

4. In a suction cleaning device adapted to be moved in a forwarddirection over a surface to remove loose debris therefrom, including adebris hopper, a suction duct leading to said hopper, a fan to draw airthrough said duct, and a pickup chamber into which said duct extendsremote from said hopper and positioned adjacent said surface, theimprovement comprising:

a plurality of suction nozzle inlet openings extending transverselyacross said pickup chamber to define at least one central wide-mouthopening encompassed by narrower elongated side openings;

jet means for establishing an air jet disposed forward of and on eachside of said suction nozzle inlet opening at an acute angle to saidlongitudinal axis of movement defining a V-shaped configuration onopposite sides of and converging towards said widemouth opening, saidnarrower elongated side openings being substantially coextensive withthe lateral dimension spanned by said jet means;

said jet means including a plurality of air outlet openings directedboth inwardly toward said longitudinal axis and downwardly toward saidsurface, whereby the passage of air through said air outlet openingsimparts a force component on the debris substantially transverse to saidaxis of movement to thereby agitate said debris into a state ofsuspension for flow during the cleaning operation into said wide-mouthopening; and,

brush means for dislodging debris, said brush means stationarilypositioned adjacent to and substantially parallel and coextensive withsaid air jet means between said air jet means and said narrowerelongated side openings adapted to be in contact with the surface beingcleaned to dislodge remaining debris for pickup by said openings.

5. The device of claim 4, further including a rotary brush positionedrearward of said suction nozzle inlet openings substantially coextensivetherewith and adapted to be in contact with the surface being cleaned todirect fine particle debris forwardly towards the suction nozzle inletopenings.

6. A pickup chamber for use in cleaning debris from a surface by asuction action, said chamber comprising:

a plurality of suction nozzle inlet openings extending transverselyacross said pickup chamber and defining at least one wide-mouth openingand narrower elongated side openings on each side of said widemouthopening and spaced therefrom;

elongated air jet means disposed forward of and on either side of saidwide opening and defining a V- shaped configuration said wide openingbeing adjacent the apex of said configuration;

said air jet means including a plurality of air jet outlet openingsdirected both inwardly to the space encompassed by said air jet meansand downwardly toward said surface; and,

means for supplying pressurized air into said chamber through said airjet means whereby a force compo nent is directed against said debrissubstantially transverse to the axis of movement of said chamber tothereby agitate said debris into a state of suspension to facilitatedebris flow into said wide opening.

7. A pickup chamber for use in cleaning debris from a surface by asuction action, said chamber comprising:

a plurality of suction nozzle inlet openings extending transverselyacross said pickup chamber to define at least one central widemouth-opening encompassed by narrower elongated side openings;

jet means for establishing air jets disposed on opposite sides of saidwide-mouth opening defining a generally V-shaped configuration, saidwide-mouth opening being disposed at the apex thereof;

said jet means including longitudinally disposed air jet outlet openingsdirected both inwardly and downwardly to the space encompassed by saidair jet out- 7 let openings for imparting a force component on saiddebris transverse to the axis of movement of said suction nozzle inletopenings during the cleaning operation to thereby agitate said debrisinto a state of suspension for flow towards said wide-mouth opening; and

brush means for dislodging debris said brush means positioned adjacentto and substantially parallel and coextensive with said air jet means inthe space between said air jet means and said narrower elongated sideopenings, said brush means adapted to be in contact with said surface todislodge remaining debris for pickup by said elongated side openings.

8. The chamber of claim 7 wherein said side suction nozzle inletopenings are substantially coextensive with the lateral dimensiontraversed by said air jet means.

9. The chamber of claim 7 further including a rotary brush positionedrearward of said suction nozzle inlet openings substantially coextensivetherewith and adapted to be in contact with said surface, said rotarybrush being rotatable in a direction opposite to that of movement to 8direct fine particle debris forwardly towards said suction nozzle inletopenings.

10. The device of claim 1 further including a rotary brush positionedrearward of said suction nozzle inlet openings substantially coextensivetherewith and adapted to be in contact with said surface and rotateopposite said forward direction to direct fine particle debris forwardlytowards said suction nozzle inlet openings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 484,191 10/1892 Furnas. 1,923,6898/1933 Rosenberg 15-346X 3,007,191 11/1961 Brown 15340 3,189,932 6/1965Daneman 1534O WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner C. K. MOORE, AssistantExaminer US. Cl. X.R. 15340, 374

